Pentax VS20 vs Sony RX10

In this article, we will be evaluating the Pentax VS20 versus Sony RX10, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by companies Pentax and Sony. The resolution of the VS20 (16MP) and the RX10 (20MP) is relatively close but the VS20 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") use different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The VS20 was announced 3 years before the RX10 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Pentax VS20 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight into a full comparison, below is a quick summation of how the VS20 matches up vs the RX10 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax Optio VS20 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The whole galleries are viewable at Pentax VS20 Gallery & Sony RX10 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to travel with your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Pentax VS20 comes with outer measurements of 111mm x 61mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 235 grams (0.52 lbs) whilst the Sony RX10 has dimensions of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") and a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Look at the Pentax VS20 versus Sony RX10 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select at that time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the VS20 against the RX10.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the VS20 and RX10 is 90 and 58 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions simply by looking through specs. The image below should provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the VS20 and RX10.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The VS20 with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony RX10 will result in more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots a little more aggressively. The more aged VS20 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.